1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to remote control devices and more specifically it relates to a state-based remote control system for providing efficient and simple operation of a plurality of electronic devices as a coordinated system based upon an overall task.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Remote control devices have been in use for years. Remote control devices are utilized to operate various external electronic devices including but not limited to televisions, stereos, receivers, VCRs, DVD players, CD players, amplifiers, equalizers, tape players, cable units, lighting, window shades and other electronic devices. A conventional remote control is typically comprised of a housing structure, a keypad within the housing structure for entering commands by the user, electronic circuitry within the housing structure connected to the keypad, and a transmitter electrically connected to the electronic circuitry for transmitting a control signal to an electronic device to be operated.
The user depresses one or more buttons upon the keypad when a desired operation of a specific electronic device is desired. For example, if the user desires to turn the power off to a VCR, the user will depress the power button upon the remote control which transmits a xe2x80x9cpower offxe2x80x9d control signal that is detected by the VCR resulting in the VCR turning off.
Because of the multiple electronic devices currently available within many homes and businesses today, a relatively new type of remote control is utilized to allow for the control of a plurality of electronic devices commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9cuniversal remote control.xe2x80x9d Most universal remote controls have xe2x80x9cselector buttonsxe2x80x9d that are associated with the specific electronic device to be controlled by the remote control (i.e. television, VCR, DVD player, etc.).
A few universal remote controls allow for xe2x80x9cmacrosxe2x80x9d to be programmed into the remote control so that when a preprogrammed button is depressed a string of commands is executed as programmed. For example, if the user desires to operate their television along with the stereo receiving input from the television, the user would program a macro for turning on the television, turning on the stereo and then switching the input to the stereo for receiving audio input from the television. The main problem with conventional universal remote controls is that they are unable to detect or monitor the state of a particular electronic device. Another problem with conventional universal remote controls is that when a preprogrammed macro is executed, an undesirable effect can occur wherein electronic devices that are desired to be turned on are actually turned off. For example, if the television is already on but the stereo is tuned to a local radio station and the user selects the above macro the power to the television would actually be turned off instead of maintained on.
Recently, universal remote controls have been developed that communicate via radio frequency (RF) with external sensing devices that are connected to the electronic devices for detecting the current state of the electronic device. Other remote controls are able to receive and display information from the electronic device they control such as displaying the name of a radio station on a display of the remote. These devices are relatively expensive and again difficult to utilize for the average consumer.
The main problem with conventional remote control devices is that they are typically unable to know the particular xe2x80x9cstatexe2x80x9d of an electronic device they are to control, particularly universal remote controls. A further problem with conventional remote controls that do allow for advanced configuration thereof to compensate for the various states of the electronic device is that they are often times difficult for the average consumer to utilize. Another problem with conventional remote control devices is that they force consumers to view their electronic devices xe2x80x9cindividuallyxe2x80x9d (i.e. turn television on, turn stereo on, switch audio input on stereo to television) rather than in broad xe2x80x9ctasksxe2x80x9d (e.g. watch television).
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for providing efficient and simple operation of a plurality of electronic devices as a coordinated system based upon an overall task. Conventional remote controls are typically programmed to operate only one electronic device. Conventional universal remote controls are typically programmed to operate electronic devices xe2x80x9cindividuallyxe2x80x9d or are difficult to configure to automated control of a plurality of electronic devices.
In these respects, the state-based remote control system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing efficient and simple operation of a plurality of electronic devices as a coordinated system based upon an overall task.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of remote controls now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new state-based remote control system construction wherein the same can be utilized for providing efficient and simple operation of a plurality of electronic devices as a coordinated system based upon an overall task.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new state-based remote control system that has many of the advantages of the remote controls mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new state-based remote control system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art remote controls, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a housing, a keypad in communication with an electronic system contained within the housing, and a communication device in communication with the electronic system for communicating with external electronic devices. The electronic system constantly monitors the buttons selected by a user to determine the state of all external electronic devices that are to be controlled. When the user selects a task (e.g. watch television), the electronic system automatically determines the actions required to achieve the desired task based upon the current state of the external electronic devices. After the task has been fulfilled, the electronic system updates the data to reflect the modified state of the external electronic devices.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a state-based remote control system that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.
A second object is to provide a state-based remote control system for providing efficient and simple operation of a plurality of electronic devices as a coordinated system based upon an overall task.
Another object is to provide a state-based remote control system that provides for intuitive operation of a plurality of electronic devices.
An additional object is to provide a state-based remote control system that allows for the simple operation of a plurality of electronic devices based upon an overall xe2x80x9ctaskxe2x80x9d instead of specific controls for specific electronic devices.
A further object is to provide a state-based remote control system that is simple and easy to utilize for the average consumer.
Another object is to provide a state-based remote control system that does not require significant programming prior to usage.
An additional object is to provide a state-based remote control system that is affordable.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.